Internet Protocol (IP) Television (IPTV) refers to a system where a digital television service is delivered to subscribers using an Internet Protocol over a broadband connection. The service typically may be supplied by a broadband operator and may also include Video on Demand (VOD) and Internet services such as Web access and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephony using the same infrastructure.
An IPTV system uses two-way communication and therefore may typically use broadband technology such as xDSL over the Local loop. Television programming content may be acquired and stored for delivery to subscribers using, for example, a Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer (DSLAM). Network architecture for IPTV differs, therefore, from conventional cable television system architecture.
Advantages of IPTV include two-way capability unavailable with traditional TV distribution technologies, as well as point-to-point distribution which allows each subscriber or user to view selected content at their convenience. IP distribution enables stream control such as pause, fast forward, rewind functions and so forth. Another advantage is the individualized selection of programming content such as one might find on the World Wide Web.
Traditional television distribution technologies such as terrestrial, satellite and cable Television do not use real packet switching transport on an access network. VOD in the United States may typically be delivered over cable TV using the Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) protocol on selected frequency bands and is not deemed an IPTV service.
Typically, analog signal based caller ID devices are attached to phone jacks using RJ-11 cables. While a cable set-top box (STB) may enable caller ID notification to a television display, it may require running an RJ-11 cable from a phone jack to the STB, which may be both technically difficult and operationally undesirable.
Legacy telephony networks currently may offer a caller ID service to customers. IP-based voice services also may have the capability to deliver caller ID and other call management information or identifying indicia via its call signaling to called party.
The present disclosure describes network-based methods and systems for transferring caller ID information from a telephony network to an IPTV network, along with describing other features and advantages of the disclosure. Network-based systems of the present disclosure may provide advantages over approaches that, for example, may call for obtaining caller ID information from within the customer's local IP-based home network.